Two films for Onam and three releases within a month — Mamitha Baiju is making her presence felt beyond Malayalam cinema as well. The Kottayam native has been gaining attention in Tamil cinema, with roles in Vijay’s Jana Nayagan and Viswanath and Sons, which features Suriya.

Mamitha’s performance alongside Vijay in the climax scenes of Jana Nayagan has received appreciation. Viswanath and Sons, featuring Mamitha and Suriya, is her Tamil release for the Onam season. Directed by Venky Atluri, the film stars Dulquer Salmaan and focuses on humour and emotion.

Mamitha entered cinema while she was in high school and gained recognition with her role in director Girish A.D.’s Super Sharanya. She went on to break language barriers with Premalu, also directed by Girish A.D.

While she is now active in Tamil cinema, Mamitha is returning to Malayalam with Girish A.D.’s Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, a romantic comedy in which she plays the female lead opposite Nivin Pauly.

“Bethlehem Kudumba Unit is my first Malayalam film after Premalu. The lessons I have learnt from working with Vijay sir and Suriya sir in Tamil cinema are immense. They are among the biggest achievements I could have received in my acting career,” Mamitha said.

Even a small role with Vijay would have been lucky

Mamitha said she knew from the beginning that being part of a Vijay film was a major opportunity.

“When I first heard the story of Jana Nayagan, I knew it was a Vijay film. Even getting a small role in it would have been lucky. But after hearing the story, I realised that the role offered to me was not that small and that I had a big opportunity ahead of me,” she said.

She said Vijay’s support, both on and off camera, made the experience special. “He notices even the smallest things. His support in front of and behind the camera was huge. I learnt many new things through the experience,” Mamitha said.

I am proud to have acted with Suriya

Mamitha also recalled being a fan of Suriya since her school days. “I am a huge fan of Suriya sir. When I was in high school, he had come to Lulu Mall in Kochi for a film promotion. I really wanted to see him, but I could not travel from Kottayam to Kochi that day. My brother met him and took photographs with him,” she said.

She had carried the disappointment of missing that opportunity for a long time. “But today, I feel proud that I got to act with the same Suriya sir in a film and also attend the promotional event at Lulu Mall. These are the moments that make me happy as an actor,” she said. Mamitha said being invited back to her school as an actor is another experience that makes her proud.

“When teachers talk about how I was during my school days, it feels very special. All these are moments of happiness that cinema has given me,” she said.

Nivin and I are good friends

Talking about Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, Mamitha said it was a film she enjoyed making. “It was a film I acted in with a lot of fun and laughter. After working in Chennai and Hyderabad, returning home and working with familiar people was a great feeling,” she said.

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With Nivin Pauly in Bethlehem Kudumba Unit

She said some film sets feel like workplaces, while others feel like being among friends. “When there are many familiar people and friends on a set, acting does not feel like a job. In Bethlehem, I am not Sona from Super Sharanya or Reenu from Premalu. I play Ashley,” she said. The film also brought back familiar memories for her. “Many situations in the film are things I have seen and heard while growing up. Travelling by bus during college and talking to people by the roadside were all familiar experiences,” she said.

Mamitha had previously worked with Nivin Pauly in Ramachandra Boss & Co. “I already knew Nivin chettan from that film. We are good friends on the set,” she said. She described Bethlehem Kudumba Unit as a film that tells its story with humour and said it would appeal to both adults and children.

Choosing different characters

Mamitha said she tries to choose stories that excite her and characters that are different from those she has played before. “When I hear a story, I think about it for some time. The importance of the character and its place in the story are things I consider. If the character belongs to a completely unfamiliar setting, I try to learn as much as possible before playing it,” she said.

She also makes an effort to understand the people and places connected to a character. “If I need to visit a place or meet people to understand the character, I do that. I don't like to leave out even small details when preparing for a role. Every film gives me a different experience,” Mamitha said.

Viswanath and Sons was filmed in Hyderabad, where she found the language, food, culture and working environment different from what she was used to.

“There was a Telugu-speaking team around me. The place, language, food and culture were all different. I see all these experiences positively,” she said.